Projector, projectile and target of increasing difficulty

ABSTRACT

A game playable by a plurality of players on an underlying surface includes a plurality of releasably interlocking pieces stackable on top of each other to provide a variable vertical barrier simulating a candle, the topmost piece to be added including a flame simulation. The candle barrier is supported on a base simulating a candle holder to which is secured at one end a leaf spring manipulatable by a player for propelling a missile playing piece over the candle barrier. The missile playing piece is in the shape of an imaginary character having feet upon which it may rest in a stable condition, and if the character, after being propelled over the barrier lands on its feet, the player who propelled the character is permitted to raise the candle barrier by adding one of his stackable pieces thereto. Each player is provided with an equal number of stackable pieces including the piece with the flame simulation and the first player to add all of his stackable pieces to the candle barrier wins the game.

United States Patent Katzman et al.

[ 1 Mar. 25, 1975 PROJECTOR, PROJECTILE AND TARGET OF INCREASING DlFFICULTY [75] Inventors: Allison W. Katzman, Chicago;

Donald F. Nix, Hanover Park, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1973 121] Appl. No.: 394,546

[52] US. Cl. 273/95 R, 273/106 R, 46/145 [51] Int. Cl A63b 71/02 [58] Field of Search 273/95 R, 101, 1 R, 137 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 536,193 3/1895 Dougherty 273/101 1,542,063 6/1925 Knight 273/95 R 1,675,453 7/1928 Forry 273/101 1,906,900 5/1933 Connors 273/101 1,970,249 8/1934 3,424,455 l/l969 3,715,121 2/1973 (E. W/ IM Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant E.raminer-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Coffee & Sweeney [57] ABSTRACT A game playable by a plurality of players on an underlying surface includes a plurality of releasably interlocking pieces stackable on top of each other to provide a variable vertical barrier simulating a candle, the topmost piece to be added including a flame simulation. The candle barrier is supported on a base simulating a candle holder to which is secured at one end a leaf spring manipulatable by a player for propelling a missile playing piece over the candle barrier. The missile playing piece is in the shape of an imaginary character having feet upon which it may rest in a stable condition, and if the character, after being propelled over the barrier lands on its feet, the player who propelled the character is permitted to raise the candle barrier by adding one of his stackable pieces thereto. Each player is provided with an equal number of stackable pieces including the piece with the flame simulation and the first player to add all of his stack able pieces to the candle barrier wins the game,

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZSISYS PROJECTOR, PROJECTILE AND TARGET OF INCREASING DIFFICULTY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to games for amusement, generally, and more particularly to a manipulative game playable by a plurality of players in which the players propel a missile over a vertical barrier, the extent of which may be increased.

The game of the present invention has a theme taken from the well known nursery rhyme in which Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumps over the candlestick. This of course, adds to the enjoyment of the game which is generally intended to be played by children who can, in an imaginary fashion, playact out the nursery rhyme during the course of playing the game.

Briefly, the game comprises a plurality of releasably interlocka'ble pieces stackable one on top of the other to simulate a candle and which, in turn, are supportable on a base simulating a candle holder to which is secured at one end a leaf spring for propelling an imaginary character, Jack, over the candle barrier. Each player playing the game may be provided with an equal number of stackable pieces which make up the body of the candle and a top piece having an element simulating a candle flame. Each player during his turn propels the imaginary character over the candle barrier by placing the character on a free end of the leaf spring and releasing it from a flexed condition. The character is supportable by feet and if it comes to rest on the underlying surface on which the game is played in a selected stable position resting on its feet on the other side of the candle, the player who propelled the character is permitted to add one of his stackable pieces to the candle thus increasing the extent of the barrier and diminishing the number of stackable pieces with which the player is provided at the beginning of the game. The first player to add all of his stackable pieces to the candle, including the topmost flame simulating piece, wins the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of the game of the present invention will be made apparent in the following description of the preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the game illustrating a completed candle barrier with a flame simulating piece on top and the missile piece residing on the free end of the leaf spring;

FIG. 2 is a view ofa vertical section taken along section line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of one of the stackable pieces;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the missile piece in the shape of an imaginary character resting in its stable position supported by its feet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT having a flame simulating element 18. A leaf spring 24 has one end 26 secured to base 10 and has a free end 22 from which a missile piece 20 shaped in the form of an imaginary character is propelled. As shown in FIG. 1, the character is resting in a selected stable position on free end 22.

As best seen in FIG. 2, base member includes a circular, dish-like candle holder 28 with a flat bottom 30, tapered side walls 32 extending upwardly from the periphery of bottom 30 and outwardly from the center thereof to a downturned lip 34 at the top of side wall 32. Extending upwardly from the center of bottom 30 is a circular, cross-sectional shaped embossment 36 for providing support for the candle barrier 12 to be built thereon. The candle support 36 is adapted to be releasably interlocked with the bottom stackable piece I4. Accordingly, candle support 36 has a cylindrical top 40 adapted to be telescopically received within the open end of the bottom-most stackable piece (to be described in greater detail hereinafter) of the candle barrier which, in turn, is centered on top of a cylindrical base 38 adjacent bottom 30. The side 42 of top 40 defines the inside terminus of a horizontally disposed ledge or lip 44 which extends transversely therefrom to the side 46 of bottom 30. Lip 44 supports the bottom edge of the side wall 48 of the bottom-most stackable piece 12. Base 38 of candle support 36 has an outside diameter substantially equal to that of the open end of a stackable piece 12, so that outer side wall 46forms a continuation of side 48 of the bottom-most stackable piece when stacked thereon.

Extending radially outwardly from the center of bottom 30 and coplanar therewith is an elongate member 50 which may simulate a handle of the candle holder and which underlies the leaf spring 24 to provide stability when the spring 24 is flexed downwardly. The han dle simulating member 50 of base member 10 extends through a channel shaped opening 51.

The leaf spring 24 extends upwardly and away from the secured end 26 to free end 22 which has a horizontal support 56 from which missile piece 20 is propelled. End 26 of leaf spring 24 overlies both bottom 30 and handle simulating member 50 and is secured thereto by suitable fastening means such as rivets or screws 58 and is upturned at 60 at a point substantially underlying lip 34. Missile support 56 may be covered with a sheath 62.

The stackable pieces 12 have a bottom cylindrical side wall 48, a lesser diameter top cylindrical side wall 68 and a top surface 70. The pieces are open at the bot tom for telescopic receipt of the top of a bottom piece thereunder with the bottom edge of wall 48 supported by a lip 72 disposed between top side wall 68 and bottom side wall 48 of the bottom piece. This relationship between the pieces enables them to be releasably interlocked when stacked one on top of the other. As seen in FIG. 2, the topmost piece 16 is identical in configuration to the remaining pieces with the exception of the addition of a candle simulating element 18 on the top thereof.

As seen in Figure 4, missile piece 20 may be formed in the shape of an imaginary character having an egg shaped member 73 simulating the head and body of the character supported by feet 74. The feet have a planar surface 76 and the character is in a selected stable position when member 73 is supported by feet 74 on the underlying surface. Although this position is stable, other stable positions exist, and the missile piece 73 is constructed such that it will not right itself to this upther add to the amusement of the players.

The game of course may be played in accordance with various rules, but the general object of each player during his turn is to propel the missile piece over the candle barrier in such a fashion that it lands on the underlying surface and resides thereon in the selected upright stable position resting on its feet 74. Achievement of this objective permits the player who propels the missile to add a piece to the candle thus raising the barrier for the next turn. The player may be permitted to continue in this fashion until he fails to achieve the objective or the turn may pass to the next player in succession, regardless of whether the objective is achieved.

, in accordance with preferred rules, the plural stackable pieces 14 are divided into groups of equal number with one group being provided for each player. The first player to achieve the objective a sufficient number of times to have added all of his stackable pieces to the candle barrier is the winner of the game. In accordance with another possible rule of the game, if the candle is toppled by the'missile piece 20 striking it for instance,

' the player who toppled the candle barrier may be required to take into his group all of the pieces which have fallen.

We claim:

1. A self-contained game playable by a plurality of players on an underlying surface, comprising: a base member;

a plural number of playing pieces supportable on said base member and stackable on top of each other for providing a vertically adjustable barrier, the vertical extent of which is dependent upon the number of pieces which arestacked',

a missile-type launchable playing piece of a different size and shape than said stackable playing pieces; and

launching means secured to said base member on one side of the barrier and selectively actuatable by a player of the game for propelling the missile playing piece toward the barrier in an attempt to propel the missile playing piece over the barrier, said missile after being propelled over said barrier permitting the player who propelled the missile piece to raise the barrier by adding one of said stackable pieces thereto.

2. The game of claim 1 in which said plural pieces are divided into plural groups of pieces equal in number, each player being provided with one of said groups, the first player to add all of the stackable pieces of his group to the barrier winning the game.

3. The game of claim 2 in which the last piece to be added to the barrier is distinguishable from the intermediate stackabl'e pieces.

4. The game of claim 2 in which said missile playing piece has a foot member and head member connected therewith, and said missile playing piece is in said selected stable position when supported on the playing surface by said foot member.

5. The game of claim 1 in which said launching means comprises an elongate leaf spring extending upwardly and away from one end thereof secured to the base member to the other end having a portion defining said launching station for supporting the missile playing piece above the playing surface when the spring is in an unflexed condition, said spring manually movable into a flexed condition with the force of said spring returning to its unflexed condition when released from the flexed condition propelling said missile playing piece off of the support portion thereof.

6. The game of claim 5 in which said base member has an elongate portion underlying said base portion extending along said underlying surface to prevent the base member from tipping when the support portion of the spring is forced downward into the flexed conditron.

7. The game of claim 1 in which said stackable pieces include means for releasably interlocking the pieces with one another.

8. The game of claim 1 wherein said missile-type launchable playing piece has a selected stable position for resting on an underlying surface whereby a player can attempt to cause said missile playing piece to reside in said selected stable position upon landing on the underlying surface after the missile playing piece is propelled over the barrier.

9. The game of claim 1 wherein said missile-type launchable playing piece has a ground engaging bottom surface on which said playing piece rests when in an upright position, said playing piece having a weight distribution so that the playing piece when propelled over the barrier will land on the underlying surface in either its stable upright positionv or an unstable position.

10. The game of claim 1 wherein said missile-type launchable playing piece has a selected position after being launched over the barrier, whereby a player who launches said launchable playing piece over said barrier so that said launchable playing piece resides in said selected position is entitled to raise the barrier.

11. A game playable by a plurality of players on an underlying surface, comprising:

a base member;

a plural number of pieces supportable on said base member and stackable on top of each other for providing a vertical barrier, the extent of which is dependent upon the number of pieces which are stacked, the stackable pieces including means for releaseably interlocking the pieces with one another and said base member including means for releaseably interlocking with the bottom piece of the barrier;

a missile playing piece having a selected stable position; and

means secured to said base member and actuatable by a player for propelling the missile playing piece over the barrier, said missile after being propelled over said barrier and residing in said selected stable position upon landing on the underlying surface permitting the player who propelled the missile playing piece to raise the barrier by adding one of said stackable pieces thereto. 

1. A self-contained game playable by a plurality of players on an underlying surface, comprising: a base member; a plural number of playing pieces supportable on said base member and stackable on top of each other for providing a vertically adjustable barrier, the vertical extent of which is dependent upon the number of pieces which are stacked; a missile-type launchable playing piece of a different size and shape than said stackable playing pieces; and launching means secured to said base member on one side of the barrier and selectively actuatable by a player of the game for propelling the missile playing piece toward the barrier in an attempt to propel the missile playing piece over the barrier, said missile after being propelled over said barrier permitting the player who propelled the missile piece to raise the barrier by adding one of said stackable pieces thereto.
 2. The game of claim 1 in which said plural pieces are divided into plural groups of pieces equal in number, each player being provided with one of said groups, the first player to add all of the stackable pieces of his group to the barrier winning the game.
 3. The game of claim 2 in which the last piece to be added to the barrier is distinguishable from the intermediate stackable pieces.
 4. The game of claim 2 in which said missile playing piece has a foot member and head member connected therewith, and said missile playing piece is in said selected stable position when supported on the playing surface by said foot member.
 5. The game of claim 1 in which said launching means comprises an elongate leaf spring extending upwardly and away from one end thereof secured to the base member to the other end having a portion defining said launching station for supporting the missile playing piece above the playing surface when the spring is in an unflexed condition, said spring manually movable into a flexed condition with the force of said spring returning to its unflexed condition when released from the flexed condition propelling said missile playing piece off of the support portion thereof.
 6. The game of claim 5 in which said base member has an elongate portion underlying said base portion Extending along said underlying surface to prevent the base member from tipping when the support portion of the spring is forced downward into the flexed condition.
 7. The game of claim 1 in which said stackable pieces include means for releasably interlocking the pieces with one another.
 8. The game of claim 1 wherein said missile-type launchable playing piece has a selected stable position for resting on an underlying surface whereby a player can attempt to cause said missile playing piece to reside in said selected stable position upon landing on the underlying surface after the missile playing piece is propelled over the barrier.
 9. The game of claim 1 wherein said missile-type launchable playing piece has a ground engaging bottom surface on which said playing piece rests when in an upright position, said playing piece having a weight distribution so that the playing piece when propelled over the barrier will land on the underlying surface in either its stable upright position or an unstable position.
 10. The game of claim 1 wherein said missile-type launchable playing piece has a selected position after being launched over the barrier, whereby a player who launches said launchable playing piece over said barrier so that said launchable playing piece resides in said selected position is entitled to raise the barrier.
 11. A game playable by a plurality of players on an underlying surface, comprising: a base member; a plural number of pieces supportable on said base member and stackable on top of each other for providing a vertical barrier, the extent of which is dependent upon the number of pieces which are stacked, the stackable pieces including means for releaseably interlocking the pieces with one another and said base member including means for releaseably interlocking with the bottom piece of the barrier; a missile playing piece having a selected stable position; and means secured to said base member and actuatable by a player for propelling the missile playing piece over the barrier, said missile after being propelled over said barrier and residing in said selected stable position upon landing on the underlying surface permitting the player who propelled the missile playing piece to raise the barrier by adding one of said stackable pieces thereto. 